You're standing in Merusea Village. It’s colorful, it’s underwater (sorta), and everything is adorable until you realize you need a specific currency to progress. If you’re trying to fix Seymour or just want to clear out Mamere’s questline, you've got to collect strange parts in Genshin Impact. These gear-shaped bits of scrap aren't just random loot. They’re a gatekeeper. Honestly, it's one of those Fontaine mechanics that feels like a fetch quest on steroids if you don't know where to look.
Most players hit a wall because the game doesn't just hand them to you. You can't farm them from mobs. You can't buy them from a shop—well, not until you've already found enough to satisfy the Melusines first. It’s a bit of a circular headache. You need the parts to help Serene, but the ways to get them are scattered across "hidden" interactions with the village NPCs.
The struggle is real.
Why You Actually Need These Strange Parts
Basically, these parts are the local currency of the Melusines. You first encounter the requirement during the "A Brush of Seafoam and Crimson" quest. Mamere needs four of them to repair Seymour, her mechanical dog friend. If you don’t have them, the story just stops. Later, you can use leftover parts to trade with Xana for some actually decent rewards, like gear materials and local specialties.
But here is the kicker: there are exactly enough parts in the game to finish the quests and buy out the shop. No more, no less. If you’re missing one, you’ve likely missed a specific Melusine who needs a favor or a chest buried behind a puzzle you walked past five times.
The Best Ways to Collect Strange Parts in Genshin Impact
Let’s talk strategy. You don't want to wander aimlessly.
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First, talk to Serene. She is basically the village elder and the easiest source for your first few parts. After you start the quest, she'll just give you some because she likes you. Nice, right? But that won't be enough. You’re going to have to work for the rest.
Helping the Local Melusines
The most reliable method to collect strange parts in Genshin Impact is completing "Blue" world quests around the village. These aren't just fluff. They give you the parts directly as quest rewards.
Look for Cosanzeana. She’s the one who wants to grow a garden. You’ll have to give her some flowers from other regions (Windwheel Asters work fine) and then deal with some local pests. It’s a quick two-parter that nets you a part. Then there's Iara. She’s fishing. If you help her catch a particularly stubborn fish (which turns out to be a monster, because of course it is), she’ll hand over a part.
Don't forget Sluasi. She’s interested in colors and gems. You’ll need to show her different ores to satisfy her curiosity. It’s a bit of a dialogue slog, but the part at the end is worth the three minutes of clicking through text.
Hidden Chests and Exploration
If you’ve done the quests and you’re still short, it’s time to look at the environment. There are specific chests in the Elynas region that contain strange parts. These aren't your standard "kill three slimes" chests.
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Check the shipwreck area. There’s a puzzle involving water volume crystals near the Merusea Village entrance. If you hit them in the right order or get them wet at the same time, a chest spawns. Boom. Strange part. There is also one hidden inside a large shell that you have to hit with a specific attack.
Most people miss the one near the "Book of Revealing." If you haven't started that quest with Canotila, do it. Not only is it one of the creepiest, most lore-heavy quests in Fontaine, but it also rewards you with parts for finding the pages.
Mistakes Most Players Make in Merusea Village
I see this all the time on Reddit and Discord. People think the parts are random drops from the "Breacher Primus" enemies. They aren't. You can kill those things until 2027 and you won't get a single part from them. They drop those rift-core materials, which are different.
Another mistake? Ignoring the "!" icons on the map. In Merusea Village, those blue exclamation marks are literally your ticket to the currency.
Also, some parts are locked behind the "vignette" quests. You might do a quest for one Melusine, and then you have to wait a daily reset (real-world time) for the next stage to trigger. If you're stuck at 3/4 parts and nobody has a quest for you, go do something else and come back tomorrow. The game loves time-gating.
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Trading with Xana
Once you’ve finished the main Seymour arc, Xana opens her shop. This is where the "leftover" parts go.
- Silt-Step Bell: You can buy these if you're too lazy to farm them for Lynette.
- Transoceanic Pearl: Useful for various Fontaine weapons.
- Gear Materials: Standard upgrade fare.
Honestly, the shop isn't life-changing, but if you’re a completionist, you’ll want every part just to see that "Out of Stock" text. It’s satisfying.
Technical Tips for Efficient Hunting
Use the Hydroculus Resonance Stone if you’re lost. While it doesn't find parts, it often leads you to the same vertical areas where the chests containing parts are hidden. The map layout of Merusea Village is confusing because it’s multi-layered. One part might be "above" you in the cavern ceiling but appear right on top of you on the mini-map.
Always check the water. If there’s a dive-able pool inside the village, there is almost certainly a chest at the bottom or a Melusine nearby who wants to talk.
Essential Action Steps for Players
To wrap this up and get you moving, follow this exact order to maximize your time. Don't just wander; be clinical about it.
- Talk to Serene first. Get the "freebies" to lower the count you actually need to find.
- Trigger the "Aureal" quests. Look for Mamere and follow her dog. This opens up the sub-quests for other NPCs.
- Complete Iara and Cosanzeana’s favors. These are the fastest "favors" that don't involve long combat sequences.
- Check the "Very Bright Place." There are chests in the tunnels leading to this sub-area that contain parts. Look for the Hydro-granum puzzles.
- Use the "Book of Revealing" as a backup. If you are still short, Canotila’s questline is the most reliable way to find that final elusive part, even if it takes a bit longer.
By the time you’ve cleared these, you’ll have enough to fix Seymour and move on to the much weirder parts of the Fontaine story. Stop grinding mobs and start talking to the locals. That's the only way to get it done.